Remembering To Trust
by CruorLuna
Summary: Set about two weeks after ‘Bury Your Dead.’ Gibbs decides it’s time to have a talk with his Senior Special Agent, but maybe Tony isn’t the only one with a lesson or two still to learn. Some Jibbs, also Tony/Gibbs father/son-ish and Tony/Jenny friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Remembering to Trust  
**Author:** CruorLuna (Alison)  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters:** Tony, Gibbs, Jenny  
**Pairings:** Jibbs, Tony/Gibbs father/son(ish), Jenny/Tony friendship  
**Spoilers:** Up to the beginning of season five, subtle hints towards later season five though.  
**Summary:** Set about two weeks after 'Bury Your Dead.' Gibbs decides it's time to have a talk with his Senior Special Agent, but maybe Tony isn't the only one with a lesson or two still to learn.

**A/N: **Yes, I KNOW Getting To Know You is still overdue … I was having major writer's block and this very short three-parter popped into my head, so I thought I'd just get it on paper to get me writing again. I'm now about halfway through the next chapter of GTKY so it is in the works, and I'll get it to you as soon as I can! Hopefully this random three-shot (??) will help to keep away the pitchforks anyway … It's my version of how I think Gibbs, Jenny and Tony all learned how to trust one another again after the La Grenouille business, and of course there had to be a little Jibbs in there ;) Hopefully you'll enjoy it anyway – please review!

* * *

"You wanted to see me, boss?"

"Sit down, Tony." Gibbs waited for his Senior Field Agent to sit in one of the chairs around the conference table before pulling out the one next to it for himself, bracing himself internally for what he was about to do. He wasn't normally one for sharing his secrets, but it had been two weeks since Jeanne had left, and Gibbs could tell that Tony still wasn't ready to bounce back. Maybe, just maybe, he could help with that.

"What's this about, boss?" Tony asked uncertainly.

"We haven't talked about this, have we, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said tiredly, and Tony blanched.

"Look, boss, I'm sorry I lied to you about Jeanne. You know how the Director feels about keeping secrets – besides, it was never meant to become anything serious, and when it did I just felt so …"

"I know, DiNozzo," Gibbs sighed. "Believe me, I know."

"Right," Tony chuckled wryly. "Sure you do, boss. You'd never let yourself get too involved undercover – you'd get the job done without letting yourself or anyone else get hurt in the process. Not like me." Gibbs didn't speak for several moments, and Tony frowned. "Boss?"

"Everybody's human, DiNozzo," he said wearily, watching with trepidation as the younger man tried to interpret the meaning behind his words.

"If you're trying to say that you would have done the same thing in my position, then sorry, but I find that difficult to believe, Gibbs."

"Aw, hell, DiNozzo, I **did** do exactly the same thing." Gibbs grimaced slightly as Tony's eyes widened in surprise, and he ploughed on, determined not to dwell too much on his own memories. "Now listen to me: you don't have to get it perfect all the time, Tony," he explained. "You did your damndest, and that's all anyone can ever expect from you. Undercover is never easy, and everyone makes mistakes."

"Thanks boss," Tony said with a short nod. "What about your mistake? Did you ever get over her?" Gibbs paused before replying.

"No," he said eventually, "not completely. But after a while it won't hurt so much, and as time goes on you'll learn to remember the good things and not just the bad." Tony bit his lip and watched his boss for a few moments before asking his next question.

"How did you choose, boss? Between the girl and the job?"

"I didn't," Gibbs said with a heavy sigh. "She did."

"Oh … sorry, boss," Tony said quietly. Gibbs took a deep breath before continuing, knowing that, no matter how much he may not want to talk about it, this was something his agent needed from him at the moment.

"One day she was just gone," he said slowly, and Tony stared at him, seeming shocked by this unexpected glimpse into his boss' past. "I woke up to a 'Dear John' letter and she was already on a plane. She hadn't planned on getting involved with anyone, and she decided she could afford to be held back. I didn't fit into her five-point career plan, and so she left. Didn't say goodbye; didn't leave a phone number. It was just … over."

"That's really harsh, boss," Tony said with a note of genuine sympathy in his tone. Of course he was sympathetic – he knew how heartbreak felt. "Was she … would I know her?" Gibbs almost laughed aloud. How to answer that? **Did** DiNozzo know the one woman he had truly loved since his first wife?

"No," he replied finally. "You wouldn't know her."

"What was her name?"

"Jenny Shepard." DiNozzo gaped at him, his mouth hanging open, as Gibbs corrected his previous statement. "You wouldn't know her **any more**, DiNozzo," he said with a sigh.

"Boss, I …"

"Don't say it, DiNozzo."

"Right. Well, I know it doesn't help, but for what it's worth … she probably regrets leaving as much as you regret her doing it. If you were in deep enough that you never really got over her, the chances are she never really got over you either."

"Hell, DiNozzo, this was meant to be about you, remember?"

"I know, but she … she messed up with the whole Jeanne thing," Tony admitted. "And I was really angry with her at first. But I think she already feels bad enough without anyone else making it worse – especially not you."

"Then she should have damn well thought of that before!" Gibbs snapped, regretting raising his voice the moment the words left his mouth.

"She should have," agreed Tony, refusing to be quelled by the other man's sudden anger. "But you can't keep punishing her forever. She's already punishing herself."

"That's her choice."

"And she won't stop until someone reminds **her** that it's okay to be human; that it's okay to make mistakes sometimes, as long as you learn from them. And I would tell her myself, but I don't think it's me she needs to hear it from."

"What do you want me to do, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked testily. "It's not up to me to make it all go away."

"Jeanne hates me, boss, because of my mistake, and you can see what that's doing to me. You're the one doing that to her for a mistake she made eight years ago." Tony stood up to leave, glancing over his shoulder on the way out. "Maybe this time you get to make the choice, boss."

Gibbs sat in silence for several minutes after the door had closed, mulling over his Senior Field Agent's last words. One the one hand, Tony was right – Jenny would never forgive herself for the danger she had put the younger man in, and she most likely didn't need her ex's help in reminding herself of her mistakes. And Tony seemed to think there was still a chance for his bosses – slim, in Gibbs' opinion, but Tony was observant. He trusted his subordinate's judgement. On the other hand, it wasn't easy for Leroy Jethro Gibbs to simply forgive and forget – and not just for the situation with DiNozzo, either. He still wasn't sure if he had ever forgiven Jenny for leaving him in Paris, and if he hadn't, he was afraid that that would end up coming between them too. He wasn't sure either of them were ready for a serious relationship, but as DiNozzo said, even Jenny was human – even Jenny needed someone to remind her of that sometimes. That was something he had always been good at, in one way or another.

Eventually he stood up, his decision made, albeit a tentative one. He entered the elevator and pressed the button for the correct floor, leaning back against the handrail with a sigh. He hated these moments when he questioned his own instincts, but he still just did not know if this was the right thing to do. He watched the numbers increase as the elevator steadily climbed from one floor to the next, before his hand jerked out pretty much of its own accord and hit the adjacent number to the already-lit one. **This** would be his final decision. This was for the best.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Remembering to Trust  
**Author:** CruorLuna (Alison)  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters:** Tony, Gibbs, Jenny  
**Pairings:** Jibbs, Tony/Gibbs father/son(ish), Jenny/Tony friendship  
**Spoilers:** Up to the beginning of season five, subtle hints towards later season five though.  
**Summary:** Set about two weeks after 'Bury Your Dead.' Gibbs decides it's time to have a talk with his Senior Special Agent, but maybe Tony isn't the only one with a lesson or two still to learn.

**A/N:** Chapter two – this is the Jibbsy one, so if you don't like, you don't actually REALLY need to read it to follow the last one. I'm sure you can work out what happens.

* * *

"Jethro." Her voice sounded hoarse and weary, he noted, turning to close the door behind him. Coming here had been a very last-minute decision, and he hoped it would turn out to be the right one. That being said, he had no idea how to even begin this conversation – but as it turned out, Jenny saved him the trouble. "If you're here for another argument, then let me save you some time. We've covered this enough times lately, after all. I'm a horrible person for doing what I did; I was wrong; and I'm sorry. That's all you came here for, so now, please, just leave."

"No." Jenny looked up at him, surprise etched on her drawn features. DiNozzo had been right – she was definitely punishing herself.

"Excuse me?"

"No," he repeated firmly. "Not this time. That's not what I came here for."

"Well if you're looking for excuses, I'll have to disappoint you tonight," she said tiredly. "I was blind to everything but my own selfish need to get him, and I was wrong. I shouldn't have done it, and I won't make excuses for it. End of story."

"Did he kill your father?"

"What?" Jenny gaped at him, and he leaned forward, resting his hands on her desk and looking her dead in the eye, searching for a reaction.

"You heard me. Did la Grenouille kill your father?"

"You really think I would have done all of this if he hadn't?"

"Oh, I'm sure you **thought** he did it," Gibbs said. "I'm sure you were totally convinced of it, if not now then at some point. But I'm not talking instinct here, Jen, I'm talking about evidence. Do you have any proof that your father's death was anything other than suicide?"

"Even if it was suicide, then it still only happened because René Benoît drove him to it," she replied instantly. Her right eye didn't so much as flicker. She at least truly believed what she was saying. "Whether or not he pulled the trigger, I can't prove. But either was he was damn well responsible for my father's death." Gibbs straightened again, satisfied.

"Okay," he said with a nod. She raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"**Okay**?" she repeated. "That's it? No lecture; no argument?"

"No argument," he promised. "One question." She shrugged, still seeming completely thrown off by his reaction.

"Go for it."

"Is it over?"

"Oh, come on, Jethro. You know that even if I wanted to, there would be no way in hell for me to get that close to –"

"No, Jen," he cut her off firmly. "I'm not talking about the op, and I'm not talking about Jeanne or DiNozzo. I'm talking about you and him. Is. It. Over?" Jenny stared at him for a long moment, as though trying to figure out if he was, in fact, asking her what she thought he was asking her.

"Yes," she said finally, tilting her chin upwards defiantly. "And I'm not sorry."

"Never asked you to be," Gibbs shrugged. "Feel better?"

"Much." He nodded understandingly. He had been there, fifteen years previously, and he had faced the same choice she had faced; made the same decision to honour his family he was now convinced she had made. He **did** understand.

"Good," he said quietly. "Then let it go."

"Let what go?"

"The guilt." Gibbs came around behind her chair, leaning down in order to speak quietly into her ear. "You did what you needed to do. Sure, you made a mistake, but you're only human. And you've done what you can to put it right. It's time to stop torturing yourself." Slowly and unsurely, he brought his hands up to circle her shoulders, lowering his head to the crook of her neck and placing a soft kiss there. He felt her shoulders tense underneath him as her breath hitched, but he began to massage the muscles in slow, even circles, continuing to drag his mouth along the juncture between her neck and her collarbone.

"Jethro …" she breathed, tilting her head slightly, unconsciously giving him better access. "Jethro, what are you doing?"

"I'm no good at apologies, Jen," he mumbled against her skin. "But this is about everything that's happened the last two years, and especially the last two weeks. I've been an ass. Let me make it up to you." Jenny shifted slightly in her chair and turned her head to look at him, fisting the fingers of one hand in his hair and drawing his head up so that he had to meet her eyes. She licked her lips slowly.

"Don't play games with me, Jethro." It was more of a plea than a warning, and Gibbs was overcome by the desire to allay her obvious anxieties. He leaned forward and settled his lips gently over hers, applying just enough pressure to coax her into responding. Her lips parted slightly under his and he pressed her a little harder, inserting his tongue between her lips and teasing her own. She groaned softly into his kiss as he rediscovered the contours of her mouth, drawing out the languid kiss for what felt like eternity before finally, slowly, releasing her mouth. Her fingers were still tangled in his hair, holding him close, and he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling.

"No more games," he murmured, enjoying the way her eyes lit up in relief at his assurance. "No more secrets. Just honesty."

"Honesty sounds like a good place to start," Jenny agreed softly.

"I missed you, Jen," Jethro confessed, and she smiled a little. Honesty it was.

"I missed you too, Jethro," she responded truthfully, this time. He leaned in once more, placing a feather-light kiss on her lips; partly to reassure her, but mostly simply because he could.

"There's one other thing I want from you, Jen." She nodded.

"Anything."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Remembering to Trust  
**Author:** CruorLuna (Alison)  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters:** Tony, Gibbs, Jenny  
**Pairings:** Jibbs, Tony/Gibbs father/son(ish), Jenny/Tony friendship  
**Spoilers:** Up to the beginning of season five, subtle hints towards later season five though.  
**Summary:** Set about two weeks after 'Bury Your Dead.' Gibbs decides it's time to have a talk with his Senior Special Agent, but maybe Tony isn't the only one with a lesson or two still to learn.

**A/N:** Final chapter of the exceedingly random fic that prevented me from studying today. Bad Alison! Oh well – it's done now! Hope you enjoyed it :)

* * *

"Agent DiNozzo," Jenny called from the catwalk. Tony looked up to where she and Gibbs stood side by side, leaning on the railings outside MTAC. "A word, please." He got to his feet quickly, deliberately pretending not to notice the looks both Ziva and McGee were aiming at Jenny right now. Around halfway up the stairs he passed Gibbs on his way down, and the older man grabbed his arm to stop him for a moment.

"I teach you that attitude, DiNozzo?" he asked with the ghost of a smile on his lips. Tony knew he was referring to their earlier conversation, and responded with a shrug.

"Guess it was about time something rubbed off, boss." Gibbs nodded.

"Not bad," was all he said, but it was enough to put a grin on Tony's face; a grin that was still firmly in place as he reached the landing and approached Jenny's side. He schooled his features into a more neutral expression before speaking.

"You wanted to see me, ma'am?" Jenny eyed him for a moment before letting out a sigh and turning her back on the bullpen, leaning backwards on the railings, and looking sideways across at him.

"You know very well by now how Jethro feels about apologies."

"He thinks they're a sign of weakness," Tony answered, and she nodded.

"He does. I happen to disagree. I think apologising is only weak when you've done nothing you feel sorry about doing. But what I put you through was selfish, and it was wrong of me. I'm sorry, Tony."

"I know you are," he said, leaning alongside her and crossing his arms over his chest with a sigh. "And I don't think you should have used Jeanne to get to her father. But I should never have agreed to be a part of it, and I should have known when to take a step back and say I could not longer be objective. That one's on me."

"As your Director – as your friend – I should have been more aware of what you were going through," Jenny countered. "I should have been there to help you know when to make that call. You're not used to intense, long-term undercover work, and I forgot that. Sometimes, Tony, it's hard to remember that even you still need help occasionally."

"What do you mean?" he asked confusedly. She smiled softly.

"McGee is the Probie of your team. He's smart and he's loyal and he's great at his job, but he still looks to Jethro – and you – for guidance. He still doubts himself sometimes. And Ziva's intimidating and well-trained, but as an assassin. She's still learning the finer points of investigation, and in the back of her mind will always be her Mossad training. Her instincts will never quite correspond to our protocols. But you, Tony, you're … you're different. You've been in law enforcement for a long time, and you've thrived at NCIS. Your gut instinct is up there with Gibbs', and you're confident in your ability to do your own job. And so you should be."

"Director, there's really no need for –"

But you're not infallible," Jenny finished firmly. "You're damn good, Tony – one of the best agents in this building – and makes it easy to forget that you're still on a learning curve, just like everyone else. I'm afraid I lost sight of that during this mission, and for that I am truly, truly sorry."

"Thank you," Tony said quietly, flushing slightly at the praise. "I didn't know you thought so highly of me, Director."

"René Benoît killed my father, Tony," she said flatly. "I never would have entrusted this mission to you if I didn't think you were a great agent. And I know he doesn't say it, but I hope you know that Jethro agrees with me one hundred percent."

"See, now you're overdoing it," Tony quipped, only half joking.

"Tony," Jenny said softly, and he sighed.

"Gibbs doesn't think that highly of **anybody**," he said.

"You're giving him less credit than you give yourself," she replied. "I've known Jethro for ten years, and I usually know what he's thinking. I've seen the way he treats people relative to how he feels about them, and he really does trust you. He even listens to your advice, which is an impressive accomplishment in and of itself."

"You think I'm nuts enough to offer the boss advice?" scoffed Tony. "Today was the first time in months we've even had a real conversation, and I –" He stopped mid-sentence as he remembered what he had said to Gibbs, and he glanced sideways at Jenny, taking in her relaxed posture; her flushed cheeks; her faint smile. He grinned. "Oh."

"Thank you, Tony," Jenny said sincerely. "I don't deserve Jethro's forgiveness, never mind yours, and I know that I most certainly wouldn't have his if it weren't for you. You didn't have to stand up for me, and yet you did it anyway. You're a good man."

"So is he," Tony responded, turning and glancing down at his boss. She followed his gaze and smiled fondly, and he caught her eye. "Gibbs taught me that making mistakes is what makes us human, and that you need to let people pull you back onto your feet every now and again. I figure I'd be letting him down if I couldn't apply that to you, and I don't ever want to do that. We're all lucky that he cares enough to offer us that hand when we need it."

"We are," she agreed softly. Tony grinned.

"He's lucky to have you, too," he said a little gruffly, and Jenny smiled broadly.

"That mean you approve?"

"Only if you name the first Gibblet after me." Jenny snorted in response. "Is that a 'no'?"

The only response was a loud THWACK that drew Gibbs' gaze towards the balcony. Tony was rubbing the back of his head, trying to hide his smirk, and Jenny was laughing aloud. Tony caught his eye for a moment and grinned sheepishly, before turning back to Jenny and shrugging.

"You have to admit, it's better than Leroy Jethro Junior."

* * *

**A/N:** And that's it! Three very short, very random parts that I just felt the need to get on paper, and that I hope you enjoyed. And now I'm going back to writing GTKY before I get eaten alive.

Alison xx


End file.
